We need more people like Olaf

My teacher was honest, she told me she didn't get a commission but she got a discount on things she needed from a particular luthier in return for being mentioned by her students but it worked the other way around for me as well because I got a discount on the violin I wanted and a good bow I liked. I returned a year later to this same luthier as I was interested in getting an honest opinion on a carbon fibre instrument, he hated the fact it wasn't timber but he loved the sound and so I purchased it through him and at a very good price, I take my instrument back to him for everything I need because he's honest.

It's really sad to think some teachers care more about a payoff than their integrity as a musician and teacher. Good on ya for not paying out Olaf!

Damn... Olaf, you sound just like Ollivander and his wands, selling players their first Phoenix feather Violin.

Can we all just agree that Olaf is the supportive, musical dad that everyone needs on KZfaq? Love your videos!!

the five dislikes are from the violin teachers you refused to pay

"Commission" is a nicer word than "kickback". To me, a commission is for a service rendered, while a kickback is designed to peddle something inferior. For the examples you mention, kickback seems more appropriate. It's dishonest.

Im a self-thought hobbyist. I was completely unaware of this when getting my violin. The maker asked me a lot of questions regarding my musical knowledge, asking if I was a student from somewhere. I answered no and they seemed a bit more relieved which I thought was odd, subtle but noticeable. They probably was involved with stuff like this. Someone should actually do something like this.

I would think that the ethical way to do commission would be: “Hey, I really respect this shop a lot and their expertise so I have a deal with them; if you go to them as my student they’ll fix you up with a special student discount, and it will support me as well by giving me a commission as well.”

Olaf you are a great lecturer - you can talk, you are entertaining and you demonstrate competence... Honestly, as a self-taught folklore fiddle makerI am tempted to go from Germany to Brisbane and lay prone in the dirt in front of your Shop until you take me in and teach me The Ways Of The Proper Violin Crafter!

Olaf, here is a fast story. Once I went to Tijuana Mexico with my lady. I heard the most beautiful solo violin music, but I didn't know where it came from as sound bounced off buildings. While going around a corner, I found a blind guy looking 100 yrs old sitting with a dilapidated violin looking older than him. This violin looked abused but it's tone was sweet, warm, and piercing my soul as it sang like an angel. I was mesmerized as I began to cry. I've played violin since 8yrs old. I'm now 65. I gave him 20 dollars in his hat that he never new from whom it came. Tears come every time I think about that old fiddle with such glorious tone and the blind old guy.

This is a really important topic. I have so much anxiety around violin shopping because every instrument I've ever owned has been praised by my current teacher and castigated my next. Makers have frequently told me that I overpaid for my instrument and that the other guy really screwed me over, but that they would be the one to fix me up properly. I have become genuinely guarded and untrusting as a result whenever shopping for instruments. If you find a maker who has your best interests at heart, cling like glue.

At one point when buying a new bow for my Upright bass, my teacher and I were trying out many different bows. He would regularly go out into the middle of the hall (he fought for our lessons to be in a performance hall), close his eyes, and just listen to the different bows. I would say, "Bow A", and play something, "Bow B" and play the same thing, ect.. After trying them all, he would ask me to play "Bow A" again. That way he could get a more objective opinion on which bow was best. Furthermore, he would then play the different bows with my bass (and even with his bass) as I sat out in the hall listening with closed eyes so I could better hear them from afar. This kind of behavior helps ensure that the teacher isn't pushing a specific instrument based off of their own commission. This helped my teacher earn my trust in his opinions, and I might encourage other students to expect the same thing from their teachers.

This happen in the flute world as well. I had some teachers that just kept telling me I needed another flute aka their brand of flute, but I just hated those instruments and never felt at home with them. I played them in front of colleagues and friends and they always chose the sound of my flute. I think there needs to be a balance of what one hears when you play the instrument and what you hear. It’s sad some teachers only care about their extra payoffs.

if the comissions is transparent, the value of teacher’s opinion might not even necessarily go down, after all they are putting their reputation on the line and the student could also consult other students that followed the recomendation. It would just be better for every student

I have been teaching violin for 20+ years, I've tested, traded and purchased violins, bows and accessories for my students, even ex alumnies, never charged a dime to neither involved parties except when I've used my own money to help finance the acquisition but certainly I've witnessed lots of shadie teachers, traders and builders that do anything for profit

You’re so right about how important teachers can be. My piano teacher of about 18+ years (probably more if I didn’t move away to college) made it wonderful because she was supportive, thorough, and patient with me since I was 5 (I’m 24 now). But my little sister at around 7 years old lost all her passion of violin when her violin teacher stuck her with twinkle twinkle for months even when my sister proudly proved that she was also working on Lightly Row, her favorite Suzuki song at the time. When my mom asked why my sister couldn’t play lightly row for the recital when she came to pick her up, the violin teacher started screaming in front of my mom, sister, me, and the other students who were there that she wasn’t “good enough”. She never went back and I never saw her play the violin again. She tried piano with me with my teacher instead and the passion for music just wasn’t there anymore.

Thank you, Olaf. You're an angel among us. I am truly grateful for and do appreciate your pure spirit. You have a golden heart to help Brett & Eddy of the KZfaq channel "TwoSetViolin" protect the community that they've worked tirelessly to build and promote the timeless beauty of classical music around the world. I do pray for excellent health and great success for you, Sir. May peace and blessings always be your portion. (Smile)

I've been playing and teaching professionally for quite some time and I've only really heard of this phenomenon recently! I have a shop in town that I prefer to go to. I bought my current instrument there and I have a good relationship with the luthiers and staff that work in the shop. I also trust that they do good work, and that their instruments will be properly taken care and set up from fine instruments they sell, all the way down to entry-level student instruments. Because of this I always refer my students to go to them for repairs, rentals or purchasing a new instrument and I often say they should tell the shop that they're my student. I've never seen a dime from this, and the only reason I do it is to make absolutely sure my students are treated well when they go to the shop. It's saddening that some teachers will take advantage of their students on order to earn a quick payout.

Honestly, you need to love the instrument you buy to really enjoy it. I own a few guitars but I picked each one after falling in love with it. I had a cousin take him guitar shopping. I would refuse to give my ultimate opinion on a guitar because he had to get the guitar he loved. I only told him if a brand was good or not. I could have swayed him to buy a guitar I liked, but that could have ruined his guitar experience and I didn't want him to regret his decision.

When I was growing up, our instruments were brought via the local music charity (which also ran the music school). They had a number of brands and sold them cheaper than they would be in instrument shops (like wholesale or something?) and parents could pay in instalments. If they did make any “profit” it would have gone right back in to teaching more students. It was the very best! Staff all wanted to be there, students were all fun and wanted to be there. Some of the best days of my childhood! My daughter plays piano, so other than the electric piano my dad brought her, we don’t have to worry about what to get her for a while!! Maybe when her big brother moves out and she has a room big enough for her own piano?? Oh and she wants to learn the violin and the guitar too... but is also asking for horse riding lessons first!!

Integrity and a spotless reputation is worth it's weight in gold. Scamming people by passing off fakes and all the work that goes into making those fakes, selling them, weaselling into the musical community and not getting caught seems like a hell of a lot more trouble for questionable payoff than just doing the right thing from the start.

I had a fantastic violin made in Breslau in 1792 but I have forgotten the maker. I loved it but I sold it to a man in Australia in order to send my son to college. It sang like a bird. Playing it was soooo wonderful.

My old viola was a "better instrument" than the one I ended up buying but I don't regret that I "downgraded" since I now for the first time ever have a viola that I love. A price is (just) an indicator of how, hopefully, good something is but doesn't have to be absolute. And a price can't define what instrument you'll fall in love with. I left the store with a smaller, not as well known brand, cheaper and "less of a good" instrument but it had one thing that my old one never got, my love for playing on it. Thank you Olaf for another very good and informative video! Hope to be able to visit your store one day :)

Violin mafia gang is gonna rise up.

I think one of my recorder teachers used the system you mentioned: buy the instruments yourself and sell them to the students. She had a few she thought were good for me and I could make my own choice. They were all exactly right for me indeed and I choose the one I fell in love with. I still play on that instrument, almost 40 years later. For me it was an advantage because I could never have buyed such a good recorder at that time, it was semi handmade by an excellent maker. And probably she made some profit. But I had no idea and she was such a good teacher that I wouldn't even have minded, if I had known at that time.

When I was in elementary school, my school had a sort of event that I think was meant to encourage students to get into the band and orchestra. They were showing off all the typical sorts of instruments, having demonstrations for them, answering questions, that sorta thing. I remember I was immediately fascinated by the violin. It was the first instrument that caught my attention there. It both looked and sounded so pretty, and to my child self it just looked like magic. Like, you run this weird piece of wood over the strings and suddenly there's sound, the only explanation for that is magic, this instrument is made of magic. I was a dumb kid, yes, but I was also pretty starstruck. My mother flat-out refused to even consider the possibility of me learning. I remember she told me it was too expensive, and to pick a cheaper option if I wanted to do music. And I also remember, clear as day even after all these years, the school music teacher agreeing with her. Telling us that if we can't afford a violin, there wasn't any point in me even trying. 'Kids are fickle,' he said, 'don't waste your money on something she's probably not gonna stick with. Very few kids actually do.' I remember feeling really sad at that, but I'd thought it was just because I'd been told no and wasn't going to get what I wanted. Y'know, typical kid pouty sulky stuff. But looking back on it now, I think I was heartbroken. And really, I can't help but feel like an opportunity had been stolen from me. Like those words had just instantly killed any potential passion I could have had. Like both that teacher and my own mother had absolutely zero care or faith in my interests and potential. I ended up picking the flute. Because it was cheap. Because the teacher said it was 'easy' and low-effort, good for kids'. I didn't last the school year. I was interested in the flute, sure, I was intrigued by it and I thought it also sounded really nice. But we couldn't afford music lessons, so the only tutoring I could get was from the school. From that same music teacher. And every single time I stepped into that room, it just felt like that guy didn't want anything to do with us, or that he didn't even want to be there. He didn't care. He just made us play some stuff, handed us a few sheets of music and told us to practice at home, and back to normal class we went. I struggled, I wasn't understanding anything. I couldn't read music, I didn't now anything about music, I didn't know even the basics of how my flute functioned. I had problems with the keys, i struggled to press some of them, especially the 'weird' ones, and my fingers fumbled the combinations. I had trouble keeping my breath consistent. And no one helped me. No one cared. I wasn't learning anything, because I wasn't understanding anything the teacher was trying to make me do. He'd give me sheets of music and tell me to work on them at home, but that didn't do anything. It didn't help correct any of the problems i was struggling with. I tried, god I tried so hard, but if just felt like the more I tried, the more frustrated and upset I got. The more helpless I felt. Until I just...couldn't do it anymore. Until I just gave up. And my parents had the nerve to look down at me in disappointment for it. Lamented the money spent on the flute. Had the audacity to say, to my face, 'I told you. I knew you'd get bored of it.' I didn't get bored. No one fucking cared enough to nurture my interest, to actually teach me, to ignite a passion for it in me. No one cared, so I stopped caring too. I didn't loose interest, my interest was murdered, slowly throttled until there was nothing left. I know my story isn't really relevant to the video, but what Olaf said about teachers struck me. I couldn't agree more with him: teachers are so important to the world of music. They play such a vital role in the student's lives, not just for the knowledge and guidance they give, but also in how they nurture their student's passion and interest. They can coax it into a roaring inferno, bright and beautiful and full of love. Push their students to their full potential, and make music something that's apart of themselves, their identity and their soul, not just a hobby or a skill. But they can also sometimes do the opposite. Sometimes they can kill any heart a student might have. Cause their interest to wilt and die, cause the students to give up on themselves. Whether it be through disinterest, lack of care, aggressive verbal abuse, or just sheer incompetence, sometimes a teacher can do real harm to a student, their self esteem and their budding interests. They can extinguish any passion or heart with so few words and so little effort. I hope that there are far fewer of those sorts of teachers in the world today. I hope that mine was just a fluke or bad luck. Everyone deserves to have a good teacher, no matter what skill they're attempting to learn. Sometimes I wonder how things might be different, if there had been someone who had wanted to help me learn back then. Sometimes I wonder how things might be different if I hadn't of given up the fight for the violin so easily. Sometimes I wonder how many other things I've given up on without truly realizing it. Sometimes I also wonder about what it would be like to pick up the violin or cello, here as an adult. I haven't, because every time I think about it, all I can think about is how it's too expensive, and I probably won't stick with it long enough for it to be worth it. I still have my flute. Perhaps sometime soon I'll give it another try. Maybe replace these sour memories with some sweeter ones.

There is a luthier in my area that I went to for a restring. I bought the viola I was getting restringed from another instrument maker for 1,400 USD. According to them, the viola was only worth ~$200, so I ended up getting a viola from them, and they mentioned all the points you and twoset mentioned. Thanks for confirming what they said!

9:25 There's currently an exhibition in Moscow, called "Bromberg's Violin", which focuses on antisemitic Soviet campaigns, and as a centrepiece there's a violin which belonged to musician Wolf Bromberg. That violin travelled to Soviet camps with him, and survived after he got executed in 1942. It is a forged Guarneri, and i can imagine that if not for the family getting hold of the violin, and then passing it to International Memorial archives, it could've as well end up on a market with a fake label, and no story told behind it, enriching the executioners.

Hi Olaf, thank you for explaining your perspective on Brett and Eddy's video. I loved this! ❤️😊

Excellent! I love ethics as much as I love music! Just the thought that a teacher would put money in a place where the student was secondary to a commission just bugs the heck out of me! Thanks for putting some light on this!

I went to a teacher for Classical guitar lessons, and he told me to buy a specific guitar.... I was like okay I know more than you ... He was picking his jaw off the floor upon looking at my Great grand pawpaws 30’s classical guitar.

50 years ago the music teacher at my school heavily encouraged all students to buy a new instrument. Turns out he owned a portion of the only place in town that sold instruments. So, if you had a family instrument he'd hound you incessantly to go spend several hundred dollars on a new one that sounded better. Amazingly, he had a nearly 100% band drop out rate every year.

I have been recently scammed buying a violin. I thought it was made in Germany because of label but it was a fake label and the fingerboard was far too low and the varnish looked terrible.

Thank you Olaf, I appreciate your insight. It’s refreshing to listen to such a clearly genuine person. I’m grateful that your KZfaq channel gives us all that opportunity.

If I was in Australia I would love to be your apprentice Olaf. You the best violin maker and most ethic one I have ever know :)

I started violin at age 7. The music teacher came to class and had each of us trace our hand. Then she wrote the instrument you could play in your hand print. She wrote “violin” for me. I really wanted to play the cello but, my hand was too small. We went to the only music shop in town and he sold us a full size instrument. I really needed a smaller one but, he knew my father would probably not buy a different one later. It worked out well for me. I was able to keep that violin and I still play it.

Hats off to Olaf for exposing dark industry secrets that might draw hatred from his peers. Takes real courage to do so for the greater good.

I could fill your comment section with examples of shady violin shop practices I have encountered in my 40 years of playing, but this is one of the most egregious. I once went to a violin maker and brought with me an instrument made by another local maker. I never mentioned that the violin I brought wasn't mine, or that it was made by another local maker. At one point, the maker took me into another room to try a couple of their instruments. When I went to retrieve the instrument I had brought with me I found the maker standing over it with a sound post setter inside the instrument. The maker was moving the sound post in order to make their instruments sound superior.

I really hate it. Teacher use their career to exploit the student. Of course, I appreciate a good teacher who always want the best for their students.

My violin teacher always recommended you and you've serviced my violin a few times. Appreciate the honest work you do and your travelling to more regional areas time to time. Keep well ❤️

I bought my current instrument about 1990. I had gotten back into playing violin when my pre-teen daughter started. So we were taking lessons from the same teacher. My teacher offered to help pick out a violin from a shop (in Berkeley, CA) that was an hour’s drive away. Afterwards, I was told that she probably was given a commission on the sale. If so, she earned every penny of it. I had budgeted $3,000 - $3,500 for a violin that would be appropriate to my skill level. But, I didn’t like any in that price range. At one point the owner handed me a violin saying try this one. It was patterned after the Guaneri violins and had a beautiful, sweet voice. The price was $7,000 which I was told was not negotiable because it was for sale in his shop by the owner on commission. After consulting my wife, I agreed to buy it. Furthermore, it had been handmade by the owner of the shop (Jay Ifshin) in 1983. I have not found another violin that I liked more, regardless of price. The previous owner must have been a woman because it had the faint smell of perfume that took several months to dissipate.

Years ago I was teaching violin and viola at a music store and sometimes helped out at the register. A piano teacher approached me and asked about commissions for referring her students to buy pianos at the music store. I referred her to the store owner who said she did not give commissions for referrals. The piano teacher seemed very upset and said she would not be recommending the store to her students. After the teacher left, the owner said she did not want to increase her prices to allow for commissions to teachers. I was told I would receive a commission if I ever sold a piano since I was an employee of the store. I did not work in sales very often so I never sold a piano. The store had a large selection of pianos, but only sold/rented student models of band and orchestra instruments. I bought my two violas from violin makers in Southern California and my violin was bought for my grandmother when she was in school (sweet tone, but not very loud, okay to play in church with microphone to project). I do not think any teacher commissions were involved but my professional level viola was sold to me in a Newport Beach shop on consignment which means the previous owner gets the majority of the price while the violin makers gets a commission for offering it for sale in their shop. I love the tone, not nasal like some violas. My viola does have a fake label and is distress to look older but my paperwork states it was made in the early 20th century, so the violin makers were very honest about what is was. Following the instructions of my viola professor (very similar to Olaf's videos on choosing an instrument), I played dozens of violas all over Southern California before choosing this one because of the great tone. Great job, Olaf, informing players on how to find their dream instrument!

I love your commitment to helping your students find the best instrument for them. I am a hobbyist musician, but I know professional musicians who love their instruments because of good craftsmen like you who know how to help them find what they need!

If you worked with clarinets, I’d send you mine to look at. It’s a very old professional clarinet (I’ve had it for 9-10 years now), but with recurring issues over the last few especially. The repair guy I’ve taken it to has reportedly never experienced those issues when looking at it, and yet still charges an arm and a leg as if massive work was done (he has done such work on it in years past). I’d also trust your judgment as to a new professional clarinet, again, if you worked with them. It’s so refreshing to see your honesty and professionalism! If I ever get beyond my starter violin, I’ll be sure to check out your shop!

Really interesting video. It really resonated for me when you talked about the "lifetime" commitment. I've been playing the same instrument for nearly 30 years and I still love its sound. It's a Pfretschner, which from my reading on luthier forums can be hit or miss. I know my violin teacher at the time said it was a good buy, and he didn't get a commission since it was a private sale. Anyway, after taking it to Calgary one winter early on, the glue came apart along one of the ribs and I took it to a luthier. It turned out to be a wonderful accident as the luthier repaired it quite nicely and made it sound even better than when I bought it. 30 years on and no regrets!

Bless you Olaf for caring so much and being honest . It's people like you that make us what we can be. Love and Peace

Something from a different topic: thank you for speaking so clearly and slowly, so I can understand every word (as someone who can't speak English fluently)

Your honesty and love for the instrument is so apparent here, thank you Master Olaf! It's wonderful to hear your honest appraisal, and also to know what quality work you do, the love you have for the instruments in your care and honest desire to fit the right instrument to the right player as so important! I like to think an instrument picks the player as much as the player picks the instrument. Once that bond is there, there's no telling what both can achieve together. It's teamwork, really.

I am very grateful that my teachers in my youth were lovely and, in turn, I grew to be very fond of them. (Yes, my favourite teacher was named Bows) I hope to never experience this side of that world.

Dang, that video triggered quite a few responses and I'm loving it.

I loath the commission system in everything, declared or not, teachers or music stores, all kinds of stores.Their integrity, motive and honesty of opinion is tarnished and immediately takes takes a nose dive with me. Whether I go somewhere else depends if there are alternatives or not.

After watching you unbox a cheap violin I was able to spot a few details of instruments being sold as old when they had new parts that didn't seem to fit🤔 Antiquing is a skill, I am going to try it out on a new instrument for myself; a beautiful inlaid 9 string fiddle, viola size.

I wish I lived in Brisbane, I love your insight on this topic, plus your videos really helped when I was looking for an upgrade for my violin. Thanks for doing what you do Olaf!

First time watching a video of yours, I just want to say (aside from the great insight) the color of the wall against the color of the violins is just perfection!

I was hoping to hear your reaction/thoughts on that video! I'm so glad you did it. Thanks Olaf!

Hi Olaf! I really appreciate your insight! I definitely agree with the fact that the entirety of the system should be transparent between violin teachers, violin shops and violin students. I’ve seen people that were on the verge of giving up on the violin because their instruments were hindering their progress. Having the right instrument makes a huge difference in how violinists perceive playing the violin.

Over 50 years ago I never learned to play an instrument because my school music teacher said that I could not learn an instrument unless my parents first signed up to a payment plan to purchase an instrument. This was at a government school in the UK. The standard of the school orchestra was really terrible at the time.

I´m so grateful for you reacting to this whole story. Thank you!

i wish i've watched this before I changed my instrument last time. and I really appreciate the care and warmth Olaf's giving, thank you for sharing these valuable experiences. when it comes to purchase a next level instrument, for how big this decision is people tend to be hesitated, and they'll rely on their teacher mainly sometimes almost blindly. I think it's because we're just too afraid to be the one responsible for choosing the wrong instrument and have to stick with it for another decade to come. Please do start looking for a new instrument in advance. If you're expecting to change your instrument in a year, just casually start looking now. Because there is high chance you won't be finding the one instrument you really like for weeks and months, and bad desicions come in haste. i'm still trying to make as much money as i can so i'll be able to buy a new instrument before I die.

Thank you, Olaf, for providing your perspective. Your videos are always so informative and so fun to be watch. Keep up the good work!!

My teacher told me that it's important for a beginner to find an instrument that they enjoy playing. If you don't like the sound you're making then you won't enjoy practicing. So she just told me to go and try and bunch of different instruments and find which one just "sounds right" to me, and what I enjoy playing. I tried a bunch of new ones from a music store and didn't like the sound of any of them. Then I found a luthier who had refurbished one and it was even cheaper than the new ones. But when I picked it up and played it, I immediately loved the sound of it. I'm glad my teacher just gave me a few tips and let me go out and discover for myself what instrument was right for me.

Excited with the zoom feature! Hehe. I love you Olaf. Your content keeps improving, you polish them step by step. Enjoyable and interesting. I would love you to be my neighbour. Greetings from Spain.

You have the best shop. Thank you for having such wonderful customer service. I LOVE the instrument I got from you.

thank you for the amazing video olaf! it's really interesting to see what string players have to go through from the perspective of a pianist...

I'm So lucky. Our luthier was recommended to me by my teacher when I needed some minor work done. If there is any room for commissions after the deals I've gotten I'd be amazed. He seriously takes care of my family so well I invent reasons to go to the shop :-) One thing I think is sad, though. It's just my opinion mind.. but I tend to believe if there was more parental involvement we'd hear fewer stories. Our string teachers are seasoned pros and candidly point out that we are in a big minority because we sit in on every lesson. A good % of parents apparently used lessons like a quick babysitter.

My teacher works out of the store in my town (Upstate NY) so that makes it easy. She has told me that students have gone to another store to get strings and they were overcharged for a lesser quality string. This is terribly sad considering how difficult it is to isolate a sound problem in your playing, and how often I blame the instrument when it was me. Having a good instrument that is regularly taken care of is the no excuses way to get better lol. We also have an in house Luthier which is also a good indication of the scope of their experience as a shop. I came with my own previously purchased violin a friend and violinist got for me. She played it and immediate said "that's a nice violin." I truly wish all of you the same luck.

Hi Olaf, I think you make really great points all around. I also think you are correct that musicians do not get monetarily valued for the enormous amount of work they put in to it. I bet that if you did the math, a good virtuoso Violinist ends up making $2 per hour or less when you consider ALL the lifetime long practice hours compared to whatever they might get paid for their performances. At the lower end, I have seen so many instances of venues wanting musicians to play for FREE "just to get their name out there", yeah right.

A true artist and advocate for musicians. We know where your heart is. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I thought about you when I watched Brett & Eddy's video.

I loved the zoom effects!,!

Thank You Olaf. I'm a poor student violist. I play $300 violins and violas. My teacher is very ethical and also just a good caring friend. No commissions.

Your passion for the instrument shows. Thank you 🙏

Thank you so much Olaf & Twoset for bringing this up & warning me. I’m finally about to get my own violin, after learning on the school ones (I started on a 1/4 and worked my way up, my teacher said it wasn’t worth getting a violin until I’m ready for a full size as I won’t grow out of it and you can get better instruments) I’m really nervous to get my own violin, so if anyone has any advice for me, please tell me!

Bravo. Great advice. I have done several young artist auditions, and I know that I have seen young players hurt by instruments that hampered their playing. Also, the relationship between a musician and his/her instrument is very personal. The right instrument for one person might be a bad choice for another. As to size: I always felt that for beginners it was best to have them start an instrument that was a bit too small rather than one that was too large. String instruments have the advantage of coming in various sizes so a player can find one that fits. Wind instruments and pianos come only in one size.

wow I'm getting deja vú, before, when I used to go to the conservatory, my then teacher went to another city to buy violas for us, i never tried any and just thought you just got an instrument assigned, i never liked it nor hated it but it does have a really crooked bridge and it wasnt cheap at all... :O , again as usual, I am learning so much from you, thank you very much for sharing this with us!

This is sad to hear. I'm saving up for my first (handmade) violin and plan to buy it from a local shop. I hope they won't run into any issues like this since one of their goals is to make decent violins accessible to more people and already charge a very low price compared to violins from abroad. I also hope it wont get put down by my teacher when I finally sign up for classes.

This is such a fascinating video, thanks for making it!

I'm spitting feathers because of this issue. FWIW, I started playing nearly sixty years ago and was delighted when my Aussie grandson started to learn violin a couple of years ago. I'm in UK but having read good reviews of a particular budget violin, and after a positive email conversation with the seller, I bought it for him for his last birthday. The difference in his playing was immediate as the instrument I'd bought fitted him so much better (3/4 vs the 1/4 size the school provided). However, the school won't allow him to use it as "everyone has to have the same" and students' own instruments must be purchased from school-approved shops.

Great video, you can tell Olaf really has a passion for lutherie and music

Thank you for again talking about it, it really is important! :))

Thank you as always for another informative and wonderful video!

When I heared about this from Brett and Eddy my first thought was how Olaf would comment on this. Thanks for your opinion Olaf. Every student should know about potential comissions that might be involved.

I bought my current instrument when I switched to my current teacher, around November 2013. His brother-in-law is a violinmaker, and so I'm pretty sure I got a good value on buying the instrument he sold me (also he gets his brother-in-law to fix some problems gratis, which is really nice). I'm still intermediate (working through some of the intermediate-to-advanced intermediate solo Bach movements like the D minor sarabande), and I'm perfectly happy with the sound of my instrument. Maybe at some point I'll get a new instrument or have someone else evaluate my current instrument, but I don't feel I'm at the skill level to justify it

Bless you Olaf, thanks for sharing.

My grandfather played the violin for over 70 years as a hobbyist, not professional. He was very good and had several classical musicians often come to meet him to talk or to learn something or for advice. I was just a kid and didn't know much about it or that the people were important or famous, just that we kids should behave ourselves and not disturb. I think he only has two violins in his entire life. I saw only one. The first was before I was born. But he talked about it and missed its sound. I was reminded when you said that it may be the instrument you play for life. An incident that remained in mind was him going with someone famous to choose a violin for someone else because they sent a car for him (was a big deal in India then). Apparently they ended up buying something mid range that cost less than she expected rather than the most expensive one that was recommended and he had gone to give an opinion on. In hindsight, this now sounds like one of those situations where an instrument was priced high claiming qualities it did not have and they are lucky my grandfather was there for them. He played the violin right till a few days before he died will into his 90s and my biggest regret is that we never bothered to record his wonderful music because it was such a daily thing around the home. Countless melodies in my mind that I cannot name till I hear them again. Both Western classical and Indian classical. He could literally play anything he heard. I guess after 70 years, the violin was just a part of his body. I may not have the records, but my mind has the sounds and it gave my mother, me, my son music running in our veins for life.

Thank you so much for your informative video. I could feel your honesty and kind-heartedness. Bless you ! I hope you get all the success and happiness you deserve.

I don't know about commissions in accordion industry, but teachers try to convince their students to buy accordions from manufacturers whose sound teacher like. But it is exactly same with accordions, everybody should choose instrument by sound what suits them and by feel.

I am a guitar builder, luthier so to speak, I have recommended guitars to a genuine maestro and made my best guitar for him. I always ask several questions as to what the buyer wants, right down to neck thickness etc.I also teach ( in the case of the maestro he taught, I played duets with him). Making or recommending a poor instrument does nothing for the player and, inevitably, your reputation. They do not have to have me build an instrument, I wil often take one of the wall in a store, and say ; "here's a brand/model I like" and they are free to purchase that. The only thing I cannot tolerate is a student who will not practise between lessons. Those I am honest with and tell them they are wasting their money. Hiring me but not progressing.I am too busy building/repairing to put up with recalcitrant students.

This is why I only buy violin family instruments from Shar. I can't visit them in person, but they ship multiple instruments for a trial period.

Wow... I am a violinist and I completely agree with you. A 3/4 size violin would be way too big for an 8 year old.

I bought a cheaper violin from a refurbish-er just to use in case for some reason i couldn't use my main, loved how one sounded but he would NOT stop insisting i buy another.. eventually I managed to get him to let my buy the one i wanted. Not the exactly the same as your stories, but it definitely reminded me of it.

Yeah I saw TwoSet's video on this, interesting to hear your take on this :)

Loving your commentary!!

I took violin lessons when Was in elementary school/beginning of middle school. my parents and my teacher went to buy me a violin and they bought a 4/4 violin. The teacher said that it was okay if it was a bit big since "I'd grow into it". As a result, I hated playing since I was uncomfortable and the violin was heavy for me at the time. I ended up quitting after two years.

I wonder how many teachers lose students (and money) because they recommended the wrong instrument that discouraged them from continuing to learn. I work in the bicycle industry, and I get a lot of people shopping around for a new bike, hoping to get into some recreational riding for enjoyment and health reasons. Quite often they don't buy from me but buy from somewhere else, and as annoyed as I could be about that, if I see they are using their bike and happy with it, then I don't mind. More people around my city riding bikes is something I'm happy to see more of. I just hope the bikes they buy are of good quality, the service provided by the dealer is respectable, and they won't be discouraged from actually using it.

solidarity!! good for you

Hello, thank you for uploading this video. I could feel your pain! You're an amazing person, i don't play music, but i wish you all the best ❤️

Interesting story for me. I'm a ballet teacher and I tell my students to buy the brand of pointe shoe that works for their feet. I also have to recommend they not buy shoes from the store that is near our studio. That store sells the shoes she has in stock and on several occasions I've had girls with just the wrong shoes for their feet and they have to struggle against the shoe to dance. I feel guilty not supporting a local shop. Another ballet studio chooses to fit her students herself in just one brand and style of a shoe. I also feel that is wrong. I don't know maybe I shouldn't comment but things like this happen in the ballet world too and I'm sure in other arts.

I get what is the darkness of the music industry! Teachers afraid of their students surpassing them and hence, sabotaged their students by persuading them to buy inferior instruments! Lesson learnt: Never ask your teacher or anyone for advice when buying instruments.